Wooden and papier mache boxes used for collecting funds for different mission organisations, including: the Church Missionary Society (7 items); Church of England Zenana Missionary Society (1 item); London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews (3 items); Irish Church Missions to the Roman Catholics (2 items) and the Religious Tract Society (1 item). Also including a box for St Julian's Memorial Hall Fund c 1919 and an appointment diary for 1925.

Printed paper seals which have been inscribed in ink can still be seen on the majority of boxes. They give details such as the name of the collector, name of the organisation's local contact (mostly in the role of Secretary or Hon[orary] Secretary), the amount collected and collection dates. In some instances tears, dirt and the intentional removal of all or part of the seal [to allow access to the funds after a collection] mean that some details have been lost or rendered illegible. Evidence of repeated use can be seen where labels have been pasted over earlier ones.

Several of the seals indicate that the boxes were used by local auxiliaries of the organisations for which funds were being collected, for example, the Shrewsbury Junior Auxiliary of the Church Missionary Society and St Julian's, Shrewsbury (Auxiliary) of the London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews. The local contacts include R. A. Fenn (1913), Mrs Whitwell (1922), Reverend N[orton] F[leetwood] Duncan (1908-1916/1917) and Reverend Leonard Newby (1923-1924).

Copyright

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Director, Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections (email: special-collections@bham.ac.uk). Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. The Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

Language

English

Finding Aids

This is a preliminary description and will be enhanced at a future date. For further information please contact the Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections.

Access Status

Open

Creator Name

Duncan, Norton Fleetwood, fl late 19th-early 20th century, Clergyman

Newby, Leonard, fl late 19th-mid 20th century, Clergyman

Custodial History

The boxes were found in the roof space of Severnside House, 75 Coton Hill, Shrewsbury in 2012 by the then owner who, on moving overseas, gave them to his friend, The Reverend Richard Hayes, to find new accommodation for them. In the 1920s, the house was the residence of The Reverend Leonard Newby, Vicar of St Julian's Church, Shrewsbury 1916-1946. Reverend Newby succeeded The Reverend Norton Fleetwood Duncan who was incumbent of St Julian 1904-1916 and it is likely that the boxes in use prior to Newby's incumbency were passed on by his predecessor in 1916.

Examples of missionary collecting boxes can also be found in the Church Missionary Society Archive (CMS), the Church Missionary Society Unofficial Papers (CMS/ACC) and a collection of boxes, Finding number MS832.